This invention relates generally to the field of integrated optical structures and a method for fabrication of the structures. More particularly, this invention relates to an integrated optical coupler for coupling energy in one direction to an optical stylus tip and for carrying energy received by the tip in the opposite direction.
Although optical couplers for coupling energy to waveguides have heretofore been provided, such couplers have been excessively bulky and complex, required pressure between mating optical surfaces, admitted dirt and other foreign matter, and suffered from less than optimal coupling efficiencies. Thus, there is a need for an improved performance integrated optical coupler, particularly suitable for coupling energy to an optical stylus tip and for carrying reflected energy received by said tip to a remote transducer.